Pressure sprayers are well known in the art, having been developed many years ago. They essentially consist of a tank that is adapted to hold a liquid and become pressurized with air. The tank becomes pressurized via a pump. When a spray head and/or wand that is attached to the pressurized tank is opened, the liquid within the tank is ejected from the spray head/wand by the pressure in the tank. Eventually, the pressure within the tank decreases with the ejection of liquid therefrom. When the pressure upon the liquid within the tank drops to a particular value, the liquid will not be ejected from the tank due to lack of pressure. The amount of liquid that is ejected before the pressure in the tank drops to the particular value is a function of both the volume of air in the tank and the pressure of the air. Therefore, in order to maintain (have) adequate pressure within the tank in order to eject the liquid therefrom, the pressure must be periodically increased. This is accomplished by a manually actuated pump associated with the pressure sprayer.
Such pressure sprayers may be used for spraying insecticides, pesticides, biocides, and herbicides, as well as paints, stains, water, and virtually any other low viscosity liquid. Small, portable (i.e. hand-carried) pressure sprayers have been used by the home and business industry. Early pressurized sprayers included metal canisters with a manually actuated pump. When these metal tanks were filled with a liquid, and manually pumped to the appropriate pressure, they were quite heavy and cumbersome to carry. Currently, most pressure sprayers are formed from a suitable plastic.
The liquid that is ejected from the pressure sprayers is typically mixed just prior to use. Accordingly, a concentrated solution of the toxic insecticide, pesticide, biocide, etc. is measured and mixed within the sprayer with a measured amount of water. Beneficially, only a small amount of the toxic solution is needed. The measurement of the correct amount of the solution in a small measuring vessel, however, may be problematic.
For example, measuring vessels typically include indicia marked upon the vessel walls, such as a line circumscribing the vessel. Such indicia are difficult to read. Accordingly, while positioning the vessel so as to be able to discern the markings, the vessel must also be balanced to maintain the vessel level. Additionally, the positioning and pouring of the toxic solution into some small measuring vessels such as teaspoons and tablespoons must be done without spilling the contents of the measuring vessel either on the ground or on the user.
In some measuring vessels, the user need only fill the vessel to the brim of the vessel in order to measure the desired amount. Such measuring vessels significantly ease the determination of when the desired amount has been measured. These vessels suffer, however, from an increased likelihood of spillage since the measured solution must be poured to the very brim of the measuring vessel and then the measuring vessel must be positioned over the tank prior to spilling any of the contents. Of course, some users may attempt to avoid spillage onto the ground by first positioning the measuring vessel over the tank. This approach may lead to undesired consequences when the measuring device is overfilled, dumping an undetermined amount of the solution into the tank.
Moreover, when measuring liquid having a high viscosity, some amount of the liquid tends to remain in the measuring vessel even after attempting to pour the contents of the vessel in to the tank. It is thus necessary to rinse the measuring vessel, and pour the rinsed solution into the tank. The rinsing of the measuring vessel is preferably also done without spilling the rinsed solution outside of the tank or on the user.
Of course, the measuring of the solution presupposes that an appropriate measuring device may be located. Many solutions are provided without any such measuring device. Moreover, even when a device is provided with the solution, the measuring device is frequently lost or misplaced. Accordingly, the user typically absconds with a measuring device previously used in measuring foodstuffs. While providing a short term solution, such misappropriation of measuring vessels may lead to various other problems, of which replacement of the measuring vessel may be the least problematic.
What is needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that is eases the process of determining the amount of fluid in the measuring device.
What is further needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that reduces the potential for spilling a measured fluid.
What is still further needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that simplifies rinsing of the measuring device.
What is also needed is a measuring device for use with hand-pressurized compressed air sprayers that may be stored with a hand-pressurized compressed air sprayer.